1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to light displays for displaying an image or a sequence of images on buildings or other surfaces. More particularly, the invention relates to a large-scale light display for mounting on a building surface comprising a plurality of light fixtures mounted directly to the building surface or via a mounting assembly. The light display is then operable to display an image or a sequence of images as a static or an animated image.
2. Description of the Related Art
Large-screen colored light display systems have become very popular and can be found everywhere from sports arenas to outdoor commercial venues, such as Times Square in New York City. These display systems are often extremely large with display screens covering hundred to thousands of square feet. The systems can receive both analog and digital input and display animated and static pictures, including full motion pictures, still pictures, and computer graphics.
Such large-screen display systems commonly use a plurality of light emitting diodes (“LEDs”) arranged in a uniform array on a thin screen. The LEDs are arranged in groups of three, with a red, a blue, and a green LED forming a pixel. Together, the red, blue, and green LEDs can produce a plurality of varying colors. The pixels are aligned in uniform rows and columns with a separation distance or pixel pitch of as little as less than one inch. The pixel density is thus very large and can include density values of over 4,000 pixels per square yard. The screen on which the pixels are arrayed is also extremely thin and can be less than one inch thick. Because of the size of such display systems, they are often mounted in interconnecting modules, which facilitates handling and repair of the system. Many examples of popular large-screen display systems are sold by Sony Corp. under the trademark “JUMBOTRON.”
Large-screen display systems offer several disadvantages if placement of the display on a building surface is desired. First, the systems require a screen on which to mount the LEDs. The screen, or plurality of smaller modular screens, is then mounted directly onto the building surface or into a separate support and mounting structure. If mounted on the building surface, the screen necessarily covers large sections of the building. These covered sections may include windows or aesthetic features of the building, such that concealing these sections is not aesthetically pleasing.
Another disadvantage of large-screen display systems is the cost involved in constructing and maintaining the displays. Although the cost is largely dependent on the size of the system, large-scale systems often cost several million dollars to manufacture and install. Additionally, the systems require frequent and expensive maintenance.
Other light display systems for mounting on buildings or building surfaces are also known in the art. Such display systems may include multiple rows of light fixtures, with each light fixture including a plurality of LEDs (or configurations of red, green, and blue LEDs) mounted on the light fixture and arranged side-by-side at a distance of approximately less than one inch. The light fixtures are commonly configured as a track or other linear, unitary assembly, and multiples tracks are mounted to the building surface to produce the row of light fixtures. The light fixtures are usually at least one foot long and multiple light fixtures are aligned end-to-end to produce each row of the display. Therefore, the multiple rows of the display must be mounted on locations of the building that do not include obstructions, windows, columns, pipes, or other types of irregularities that are commonly interspersed throughout a building surface's substrate. Otherwise, the light fixture will cover the irregularities, which may either be impossible if the irregularities jut out from the building surface, or aesthetically and functionally unwanted if the light fixtures cover a window, for example.
An even further disadvantage of prior art large-screen display systems is the required wiring and bus implementation for interconnecting individual light fixtures to an intelligence source. Because prior art large-screen display systems do not use intelligent lighting, i.e., light fixtures having an internal microprocessor and a memory, then each light fixture must be controlled via a remote intelligence source. This necessarily increases the wiring that must interconnect the light fixtures to the intelligence source. Such requirements are irrelevant in large-scale systems having common support surfaces on which and behind which the wires may be run, such as JUMBOTRONS. However, if the display is to be mounted on a building surface without a common support, or even if the display is to be mounted on a surface having a common support but still requiring each light fixture to be separated by a relatively large distance, then the wiring of such light fixtures is largely determinative of the type of images that can be displayed and of the cost, aesthetic, and actual, physical capability of wiring the display.
For example, it may be impractical, for either physical or cost reasons, to wire large-scale displays, even on a common support, to a single intelligence source. Each light fixture requires three cables or wires to extend therefrom for power and control of each color (red, green, and blue). Additionally, a common wire for providing power to the light fixtures must be interconnected with all light fixtures. Therefore, a group of ten fixtures may have as many as thirty-one wires extending therefrom and connected to a central intelligence source. Because each light fixture is not intelligent, the central intelligence source must provide sufficient processing speed to separately address and control each light fixture. If multiple groups of light fixtures are needed, which is often necessary for large-scale displays, then the amount of wires or cables required to intelligently control the fixtures can be upwards of three hundred ten wires for ten groups of ten light fixtures. Because large-scale displays may have several hundred light fixtures, the demands of aesthetically and logistically mounting the wires, especially if there is no common support for the light fixtures, must be considered.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved light display and method of creating such for mounting on a building surface that overcomes the limitations of the prior art. More particularly, there is a need for a light display that does not require the light producing elements, such as the LEDs, to be mounted to a screen or other uniform support so as to mount the LEDs to the building surface. Additionally, there is a need for a light display that can mount to the building surface without covering or interfering with the building surface's irregularities. Further, there is a need for a light display that can cost-effectively display a large-scale image on a building surface. There is also a need for a large-scale display that limits the number of wires or cables necessary for controlling the light fixtures.